1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector with a connection detecting function and to an assembling method for such a connector.
2. Description of the Related Art
A connector with a connection detecting function is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 11-185880 and is illustrated in FIG. 9 herein. This known connector has a female housing 1 that is connectable with a male housing 2. A lock arm 3 is provided on the female housing 1. A slider 4 is mounted in the male housing 2 and a coil spring 5 is provided at the rear wall of the male housing 2 to bias the slider forwardly. The lock arm 3 deforms elastically and pushes the slider 4 against the biasing force of the coil spring 5 while the housings 1 and 2 are being connected with one another. The lock arm 3 is restored elastically to its original shape when the housings 1, 2 are properly connected to lock the housings 1, 2 into each other. The lock arm 3 then is disengaged from the slider 4 and the slider 4 is returned to its initial position by the biasing force of the coil spring 5.
Connection could be interrupted with the housings 1, 2 only partly connected. In this situation, the coil spring 5 causes the slider 4 to push the lock arm 3 back and to separate the housings 1, 2 from each other. This separating movement, indicates that the housings 1, 2 were left partly connected.
On the other hand the housings 1, 2 may be detached from each other for maintenance or for another reason. The housing 1, 2 are disconnected by elastically deforming the lock arm 3 and then pulling the female housing 1. However, the housings 1, 2 may be left partly connected if the pulling of the female housing 1 is interrupted.
A partial connection of the housings during the separating operation cannot be detected in the conventional connectors. Therefore, connectors capable of making such a detection have been hoped for.
The present invention was developed in view of the above situation and an object thereof is to enable a partial connection detection both during a connecting operation and during a separating operation.
The invention is directed to a connector with first and second connector housings that are at least partly connectable with each other. A slider is disposed in the first connector housing and is movable forward and backward along connecting and separating directions of the connector housings. An engaging portion is provided in the second connector housing, and is resiliently or elastically displaceable in a direction that intersects the connecting and separating directions. The engaging portion is displaced to a first position engaged with the slider when the connector housings are partially connected and is displaced to a second position disengaged from the slider when the connector housings are connected completely.
The slider can be moved backward both at an intermediate stage of a connecting operation and at an intermediate stage of a separating operation with the resilient engaging portion in the first position. When the connector housings are connected properly, the engaging portion is displaced to the second position and out of engagement with the slider. Thus, the slider can be moved forward.
A biasing means is assembled into the first connector housing and urges the slider forward. The slider can be moved back against the biasing force of the biasing means both at an intermediate stage of connecting the connector housings and at an intermediate stage of separating the connector housings while the elastic engaging portion is in the first position. The biasing force accumulated in the biasing means is released when the housings are connected properly to move the slider forward.
The elastic engaging portion is in the engaging position at the intermediate stage of the connecting operation, and pushes the slider back against the force of the biasing means. If the connecting operation is interrupted at this stage, the biasing force accumulated in the biasing means is released. Thus, the forwardly biased slider pushes the elastic engaging portion to separate the connector housings. As a result, partial connection can be detected. The engaging portion is disengaged from the slider when the connector housings are connected properly. Thus, the biasing force accumulated in the biasing means is released and moves the slider forward.
The connector housings are separated from their connected condition by moving the slider back against the force of the biasing means. If the separating operation is interrupted, the forwardly biased slider engages the elastic engaging portion that has been displaced elastically from the disengaging position to the engaging position. As a result, the slider forcibly separates the connector housings, and partial connection can be detected. In this way, partial connection can be detected both during the connecting operation and during the separating operation.
The elastic engaging portion comprises a lock arm that is displaced elastically from the disengaging position to the engaging position by moving onto the first connector housing at the intermediate stage of the connecting or separating operation. The engaging portion then is displaced elastically from the engaging position to the disengaging position and engages the first connector housing to lock the connector housings into each other when the connector housings are connected properly. The construction of the connector can be simplified by also using the lock arm as the elastic engaging portion.
The elastic engaging portion engages the slider at an angle to the connecting and separating directions to prevent a displacement of the elastic engaging portion that would unlock the housings from each other.
The slider preferably comprises an operable portion for moving the slider back against the biasing force of the biasing means. The operable portion is formed to project out from the connector. Thus, the slider can be moved back easily by operating the operable portion while the connector housings are being separated from each other.
The slider preferably is located to restrict displacement of the elastic engaging portion relative to the first connector housing when the connector housings are connected properly. As a result, the connected connector housings can be held firmly.
The elastic engaging portion and the first connector housing preferably are formed with guide surfaces capable of guiding displacement of the elastic engaging portion from the disengaging position to the engaging position only when the connector housings are pulled in separating direction with at least a minimum specified force.
The connector housings can be separated by moving the slider back to a position where displacement of the elastic engaging portion is permitted and then pulling the connector housings in separating directions with at least the minimum specified force. Thus, the elastic engaging portion is guided by the guided by the guide surfaces and displaced to the disengaging position where it is disengaged from the first connector housing. As a result, the connector housings can be separated from each other. Accordingly, movement of the slider in the disconnecting direction of the first connector housing from the second connector housing allows a displacement of the elastic engaging portion that unlocks the connector housings from each other.
The invention also is directed to a method of mating first and second connector housings. The method comprises connecting the first connector housing with the second connector housing to bring an elastic engaging portion in the second connector housing into engagement with a portion of the first housing and to displace the elastic engaging portion from a position where it is not engageable with a slider along connecting and separating directions of the connector housings to a position where it is engageable with the slider along the connecting and separating directions. Thus, the slider is engaged with the elastic engaging portion and is moved back both at an intermediate stage of a connecting operation and at an intermediate stage of a separating operation. The elastic engaging portion is displaced to the disengaging position and is not engageable with the slider along the connecting and separating directions when the housings are connected properly with one another. Hence, the slider is moved forward.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reading of the following detailed description of preferred embodiments and accompanying drawings.